This is macaroni and cheese for grown‐ups; not that kids won't like it, but it's far from sweet and gooey. Rather, it is fragrant and almost sharp, thanks to the bay leaves and Parmesan.
5/2 cups of Milk (low fat is fine)
2 Bay leaves
1 pound of Elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta
4 tablespoons of (1/2 stick) butter
3 tablespoons of Flour
23/2 cups of Grated cheese, such as sharp Cheddar or Emmenthal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Or more plain breadcrumbs, preferably fresh
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium‐low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to the point where it still needs another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop cooking, and place it in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium‐low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk, and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the Cheddar or Emmenthal and stir.
Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan, and season with sal
